Las Lomas High School currently prohibits voter parking on campus. When I arrived at our polling place yesterday, a sign at the entrance read: “No Voter Parking On Campus.” The polling area is not near the school entrance, and parking on South Main Street is virtually nonexistent because it sits directly across from the Kaiser Emergency Room and hospital.
This arrangement creates a serious barrier for voters with limited mobility. Although a few spaces for those with a handicapped plaque exist, they were occupied throughout the day; when I returned four hours later to check, the same vehicles remained. Asking people who use crutches or wheelchairs to walk a quarter- or half-mile to reach the polling place is unreasonable. I suspect some voters may have seen the sign and left without casting ballots.
Historically, polling for this area was held at Parkmead Elementary, where staff were asked to park elsewhere on voting days to accommodate voters. This clearly did not occur at Las Lomas. I find the lack of accessible parking unacceptable and am troubled by the possibility that the decision disproportionately discourages participation.
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Walnut Creek should ensure that polling locations are accessible to all residents. Election administrators and host sites must coordinate in advance to provide adequate, convenient parking and clear signage directing voters—especially those with mobility limitations—to accessible entrances. Citizens deserve a voting environment that facilitates participation rather than obstructs it.
